Basket-style article carrier



Nov. 7, 1967 R. SCHUSTER' 3,351,230

BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. RICHARD L. SCHUSTER BY Earm- ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1967 SCHUSTER3,351,230

BASKET- STYLE ARTI CLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG-2 INVENTOR R/CHARDLSCHUSTEP BY 4. 4M

ATTORNEY 1967 R. L. SCHUSTER 3,351,230

BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER Filed April 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 vs! 5w fix 9 i5 I W a I I L R/CHA R0 L. SCHUS rm A TTOR/VEV United StatesPatent Claims. (Cl. 220-113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A basket-stylearticle carrier having two pairs of hinged, connected, coextensivehandle panels where one panel supports a longitudinal partition by meansof an intermediate hinge panel.

The present invention relates to basket-style article carriers andrelates in particular to an article carrier of this class having amulti-ply handle structure from which there is suspended a body portiondivided into a plurality of article receiving cells by a centrallongitudinal partition and a number of transverse partitions.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of afour-ply handle structure comprising a hinged pair of internal handlepanels which are virtually coextensive with a hinged pair of externalhandle panels.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of alongitudinal partition or center keel hinged to one of the handle panelsand providing when the carrier is in the erect condition, a strengthmember which is sandwiched between the 'plies of the handle panel andextends downwardly at least two-thirds of the depth of the body of thecarrier.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an exceedinglystrong four-ply handle structure having the center keel sandwichedbetween and glued to the internal plies of the multi-ply handle.

A basket-style article carrier embracing certain principles of thepresent invention may comprise a four-ply handle structure supporting anarticle receiving body structure where the handle structure comprises atleast four panels generally coextensive with one another and a centralkeel or longitudinal partition hinged to one panel of the handlestructure and extending from the interior of the handle structuredownwardly a distance of at least two-thirds the depth of the bodystructure of the carrier.

Other features and advantages of the persent invention will become moreapparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when readin conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank which is susceptible ofconversion into a basket-style article carrier;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show various steps in converting the blank of FIG. 1into a finished carrier;

FIG. 6 shows the completed carrier in the collapsed condition; and

FIG. 7 shows the fully erect carrier with certain portions broken awayto show the disposition of the longitudinal partition and itsrelationship to the multi-ply handle structure.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates abasket-style article carrier blank including transverse partitions 11,12, 13 and 14, end walls 16, 17, 18 and 19, side walls 21 and 22, bottomwall 23 and bottom glue flap 24.

The elements just described are fairly conventional and need no furtherdetailed explanation other than to state that they operate when thecarton is in the erect condition to provide a body structure havingopposed side walls, opposed end walls and a bottom wall including3,351,230 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 longitudinal and transverse partitionelements for dividing the body into article receiving cells.

The improvement provided by the present invention arises from thecomposite or multi-ply handle panel structure in combination with ahinged center keel or longitudinal partition which further strengthensthe handle structure and which substantially improves and extends thelongitudinal partition.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 26 indicates a pair ofinternal handle panels hinged at score line 27 to a pair of externalhandle panels indicated generally by the reference numeral 28. The pairof internal panels 26 include a panel 29 hinged by score line 31 to apanel 32 Correspondingly exterior panels 28 include a panel 33 hinged byscore line 34 to a panel 36.

Panels 29, 32, 33 and 36 are generally coextensive with one another sothat, as will be apparent later, when the blank is erected into acarrier the handle structure comprises at least four coextensive panelsall sandwiched together to provide four-ply thickness in the handlestructure.

Cutouts 37 and 40 are formed in order to facilitate folding and to avoidan excessive pile up of material at opposed ends of the handlestructure.

Longitudinal partition or central keel 38 is hinged to handle panel 36by means of a hinge panel 39 in that panel 38 is hinged at score line 41and panel 39, in turn, is hinged at score line 42.

The reference numerals 43 and 44 represent finger access openings whichregister with one another when the carrier is fully fabricated.

The reference numerals 46 and 47 represent cutouts formed in externalhandle panels 33 and 36.

The hatching throughout the various figures is intended to designatespots of glue while solid lines represent through cuts or edge marginsand dotted lines denote scores or hinge lines.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the blank of FIG. 1 is erected inthe following fashion: with glue applied to blank 10 in accordance withthe hatching pattern, the portion of the blank to the left (as viewed inFIG. 1) of score line 27 is rotated about the score line to the positionshown in FIG. 2 so that the pair of internal panels 26 make arealcontact with and fall in register with the pair of external handlepanels 28.

Glue flaps 49 of transverse partitions 11 through 14 make contact withand are afiixed to their respective side walls 21 and 22.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the hatching of FIG. 2.Next, the central keel or longitudinal partition 38 is rotated aboutscore line 41 to the position shown in FIG. 3. Additional glue isapplied in accordance with the hatching pattern of FIG. 3.

Next, hinge panel 39 is rotated about score line 42 as shown in FIG. 4operative to carry longitudinal partition panel 38 to the position shownin FIG. 4.

At this point it is important to note that the longitudi nal partitionpanel 38 extends from a point just below the lower margin of fingeraccess opening 43-44 of the handle structure downwardly a distance atleast two-thirds the depth of the carrier (depth of a side wall 21 or22) measured from the top edge of the side wall.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the hatching of FIG. 4 andthereafter end wall panels 17 and 19 are rotated inwardly about scoreline 51, in conventional fashion, to generate the composite shown inFIG. 5.

Additional glue is applied in accordance with the pattern of FIG. 5;thereafter bottom panel 52 is rotated upwardly about score line 53.

Next, the upper half of the composite of FIG. 5 is 6 has acharacteristic exwith basket-style article The collapsed blank of FIG.terior representation consistent carriers well-known in the art.

The collapsed blank of FIG. 6 is shown erected in FIG. 7 with certainportions broken away to show the final disposition of the longitudinalpartition panel 39 illustrating its sandwiched and cooperative positionrelative to the four-ply handle structure.

Note that the longitudinal partition 38 is sandwiched between theinterior handle panels 26 and extends from a point indicated by thereference numeral 56 downwardly to a point indicated by the referencenumeral 571 The panel also extends longitudinally of the cart-onterminating on the left at score line 58 and on the right at score line59.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications and designchanges may be devised in the illustrated embodiment of the inventionwithout departing from its spirit and scope.

For example, the central keel 38 can be hinged to either panel of theexternal pair 28 or to either panel of the internal pair 26 as desired.

In addition, the hinging of the panel 38 can he modified in a number ofways with respect to the handle structure while providing the verticaland horizontal expanse illustrated in FIG. 7 to affect full depthprotection for articles packaged in the various cells whilesimultaneously providing an exceedingly rigid handle structure rigidlysupporting the carrier body including the center keel.

What is claimed is:

1. In a basket-style article carrier of the type having a plurality ofindividual cells for receiving articles individual to each cell, saidcarrier having a four-ply handle structure including a pair of hingedouter panels and a connected pair of hinged inner panels, a centralkeel, a hinge panel hinged to said central keel and to one of saidpanels, said hinge panel being operative to extend within the handlepanel and said central keel being operative when the carrier is in theerect condition to extend from within said four-ply handle structuredownwardly a distance of at least two-thirds the depth of the carrier.

2. The carrier of claim 1 in which the inner and outer panels of thehandle structure are substantially coextensive.

3. The carrier of claim 1 in which the central keel is hinged by meansof said hinge panel to one panel of said outer pair of panels,

4. The carrier of claim 1 in which the inner and outer panels aresubstantially coextensive and the central keel is hinged by means ofsaid hinge panel to one panel of said outer pair of panels.

5. In a multi-cell basket-style article carrier of the type 1 having amultiply handle structure including a pair of hinged inner plies and aconnected pair of hinged external plies, the improvement comprising alongitudinal centrally disopsed partition structure defining a partitionpanel, a hinge panel hinged to said [partition panel and to one of saidexterior plies, said hinge panel being operative to extend within thehandle panel, said partition panel being operative, when the carrier isin the erect condi:

tion, to extend from a position wherein an upper margin thereof issandwiched between the handle plies and a lower margin thereof projectsat least two-thirds the depth of the carrier measured from the top edgeof the side wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,144 2/ 1955 Forrer 220-1112,920,791 1/1960 Ringler 220113 3,190,487 6/1965 Wood 220l15 3,283,94911/ 1966 Wysocki 220-1 13 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examinen DONALD F.NORTON, Examiner.

1. IN A BASKET-STYLE ARTICLE CARRIER OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OFINDIVIDUAL CELLS FOR RECEIVING ARTICLES INDIVIDUAL TO EACH CELL, SAIDCARRIER HAVING A FOUR-PLY HANDLE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PAIR OF HINGEDOUTER PANELS AND A CONNECTED PAIR OF HINGED INNER PANELS, A CENTRALKEEL, A HINGE PANEL HINGED TO SAID CENTRAL KEEL AND TO ONE OF SAIDPANELS, SAID HINGE PANEL BEING OPERATIVE TO EXTEND WITHIN THE HANDLEPANEL AND SAID CENTRAL KEEL BEING OPERATIVE WHEN THE CARRIER IS IN THEERECT CONDITION TO EXTEND FROM WITHIN SAID FOUR-PLY HANDLE STRUCTUREDOWNWARDLY A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS THE DEPTH OF THE CARRIER.